[Towertalk] Proper way to ground open-wire feeders

> Hello All,
> I have been enjoying this list, especially recently with all the text
> about grounding. My question is about how anyone is grounding 450-ohm
> line as it enters the house. My antenna is only up about 30 feet, so
> maybe not a big lightning risk, but I am concerned just the same. I
> did have the line coming in a basement window, then a small knife
> switch with one side connected to the cold water pipe - I was uneasy
> about bringing lightning inside for that.
I'd disconnect it outside, and let it lay away from the house if
possible. I would not ground it to anything, as long as I could get
the wires loose and away from the building and away from valuable
lifeforms.
Short of that, I'd use a spark gap. The problem is with open wire
line the voltages can be very high even with modest power, so you
sometimes need a very large gap!
Open wire or ladder line, or a single wire feed, are probably the
worse things in the world to handle short of tossing em out in the
yard before storms arrive. DO NOT depend on a ground, especially
through a balun or small switch! A knife switch would never work
reliably on a nearby or direct hit.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com